Tracking device for automatic musical instruments



Ptnd Aug. 12, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

i: W 1m;

A. P. GUSTAFSON.

TRACKING DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. I9 I9I5.

A. P. GUSTAFSON.

TRACKING DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATTON FILED NGV. I9. |915.

1,313,226. A Patented Aug. 12, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A. P. GUSTAFSON.

TRACKING DEVICE FOR AUTOMATICMUSICAI. INSTRUMENTS.

APPucATlou H'LED nov.19. lons.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

"sV W I I l n l i I n x x i l l I i I D I l l I i l 0 l l c t I a i 1 I l x l l l l l c Mmmm we@ z. fr@

UNITED OFFICE.

ADOLPH PETER GUSTAFSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB, TO M, SCHULZ COMPANY,

GF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TRACKING- DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Specicatlon of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 12, 1919.

Application led November 19, 11915. Serial No. 62,265.

i To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ADOLPH P. GUs'rArsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county o-f Cook and State of Illinols, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement Vin Tracking Devices for Automatic Musical Instruments, of which the following isa full., clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to tracking devices for automatic musical instruments, especially to instruments employing a traveling music sheet or web.

The principal object of the inventionis to arrange for the simple and effective ccntrol' of the traveling sheet or web so as to lace it in proper tracking positlon at or Eefore the beginning of the playing of the instrument, and to maintain it in such proper tracking position throughout the play- In the accompanyin drawings Figure 1 is a front elevation o a part of an automatic musical instrument and a traveling music sheet therein, together with tracking mechanism embodying my present invention;

Fig, 2 is a rear elevation of the upper portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is an end View of the left hand end of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view of the right and end of the same;

Fig. 5 is a cross section taken online 5-5 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is an elevation `similar to Fig. 1,

of a modified formoffthe invention;

Fig. 7 is a crossr section taken online 7--7 in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a portion of the device shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

In the drawings, and especially in Figs. 1-5, inclusive, I show a music spool 1 carrying a sheet or web 2 and a takeup roll' 3, these parts being 'such as are ordinarily employed 1in automatic musical instruments commonly known as playerpianos A. tracker 4 is also vshown with the music sheet 2 passing over the same. The .tracker 4 is supported at its ends by upright or vertical side membersy 5 and A6, which latter also support and carry the'` upper spindles for the roll 1 and the spool 3.

As a desirable arrangement for carrying out my. lnven-tion I provide a pair of arms 7 and 8 which are mounted upon a rod 9, salcl arms 7 and 8 being secured to the rod 9 in such position that said arms will fit just inslde of the ends or Hanges 10-10 at the ends of the spool 1. The rod 9 is mounted for rotation or rocking motion, as for example by mounting its ends in the side members 5 and 6 whereby by rocking said rod 9 the arms 7 and 8 may be thrown downward into position between the flanges 10 of the music roll 1, as shown infullplines in Fig. 5, or may bev swung upwardly so as to be out of engagement and free from the spool 1, as shown in dotted lines inEFig. 5. LThus the rolli l may be set` in pro er place to cause the proper trackage ofp the music sheet 2,` by swinging the arms7 and 8 down so as to engage the flanges 10 on the rollfl, as shown in Fig. 1, the arms 7 'and 8 bein' i so positioned that when in engagement wit the roll 1, as shown, said roll will oe so positioned that its music sheet will track properly with the tracker board.

As an arrangement for controlling the arms 7 and 8, preferably automatically, I provide a pneumatic 12 on the hackl of the tn usic spool bol;A 13, Figs. 2 and 4, and provide this pneumatic 12V with Aan arm 14 which is 4connected withl a link 15 which extends to and is pivotally connected with a crank arm 16-on the rock shaft 9. Thus the ex' ansion and collapse ofthe pneumatic 12 wil actuate the crank arm 16 and thereb rock'the shaft 9 so as to throw the arms 7 anld 8 into and out of engagement with" the 1'01 1. i y y I also desirably provide means by which the roll 1 may be retained in the longitudi-` nal adjustment to which it is set by means of the arms 7 and 8. The form of arrangement shown comprises a lever 18 pivotedyat 19 to the left hand end (Fig. l) of the music loog; 13, as shownin Fig.r 3.7 Thisleve'r 18 is' arranged to swing to and Contact `with a rod 2()which is connected by va clip21 with bent upwardly as at iZBlto en rod QObeiqg1 l gagethe rig t h'and'roll spindle 24, wherebythe rod 20 and music roll spindles 22 and 24 move Lin unison lengthwise of the roll I1. Thus a swinging movement of the flever 18 to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3 will cause the Y@lower fend ofsaidgleverto engage and act against an end portion of the rod 20, and .thereby engage and lock said rod so as to prevent longitudinal movement of the same and thereby lpreventalso longitudinal vmovement of the roll 1. As an arrangement for operatin'glthe lever 18 SI show a second pneumatic 2'5 secured-:tothe of the box 13 andhavingitsswingingmember provided with .-afinger or clip 26 GF ig. 2,) adaptelto actu onltheupper endof the lever'lS, soithatw 4en vsaid neumfatic 1s collapsed the lever A18 -w'ill e swung 'so :as to eauseits lower end to engage and blnd the rod'20. A tube or pipe 27 is Vshown connected with the Vpneumatic 25 and another -itbe 28 ,running vfrom the pneumatic 25 'to the 'pneumatic 12. The tube `Q7 is understood'tokbe connected with the 'wind chest or'other dster-'passage eonnectlng wthjthe'winil `inducing apparatus so that whenpumpin is begun and rplfaylngpressure' reduce both loffthe *pneumaties 25 and Vl will iba-exhausted and collapsed, thereby "automatically lookin Ethe-roll f1 and svvinging'the arms V7 an "8 upwardly and disengagmg them'fromsaidrolll. Thus after the Troll lfhasbeen: put in position and its .end 'connected with the take-up spool 3, and' 'before playing starts, said roll 1 vmayv be aiiljustediuntilvtheiarms' and 8 -t between the flanges of the roll, thus fproperly osit'ioning said `roll: for proper trackage. hen pumping mayi be be' un, thereby actuatmg thepneumaticsan '25 and thus the arms 7 alid''will be automatically disengaged from the roll;1,' and said rollloeked against longitudinal movementand thus maintained in position "for lproper traclragethrou'ghout the'playing. W en this. roll'has' been played the 'neumatics '12 Vand 25 jwill expand, ther y releasing the rdd120 vand alsoallowing; the arms17 andB drop Inasmuch'lhowover, as the arms"7 and8 may'jfbe easily aduste'di-hy' hand, they maybe raised 'by hand so as to release and remove the music roll 1. Another roll may then be put inlposition and likethe first one it may be adjusted by means of the arms'7 and 8 to a position which has been predetermined as the correct one orthe traekage of' the music sheet. This roll when playlng starts will be automatically locked inposition and the arms 7 andfS removed so as to avoidKA interference with thefplayin'g. "Thisroll also may be removed afterplayinggani another roll inend adjusted `inf prqperposition arid than played 'Thus it willbe seemthat each rollunay be adjusted in 'proper trackinglposition, but this is done without any reference tothe tracker beard and `withontmanyexperimentationto aid the perorations in the music sheet into register with the apertures in the ltrzatnkerhoard. lliheipropenposition for the music sheet is instantly determined when the roll spllaced in position and the arms 7 and 8 allowed to drop and thus quickness and-faeility in adjustmentand playin are secured, and the result is obtained wit out any experimentation or adjustmen-t of the sheet relatively to thel tracker board.

Referring to the modification shown yin Figs. 6, 7 and 8, rods\or Varms `7a ,and 8 are shown `mounted on fthe `roekzshtrft f 9 and these rods 7'* Y and 8a are provided at ztheir outer ends with clips or roll-.en aging devices 30. Theseflatter are pivotly mounted lupon'the ends-of the arms or IVrods i7 andS, so thatthey can tiltor swing, as shown in dotted linesf in fFign. Eaaoh'member 30 islprovided with a pointed Lend vw31 and has its f opposite :en'tloiity away :as sat 32. rEhus the `pointed end is. heaviest and itends to swing down and remain in alower positionwith the device inclinedfasshownin Fig: 6. A handle 33 is :also mounted upon the rock shaft 9. {Dhusutheshaft imayibe rockedsolasito `cause themembers 30 Lto move Atoward i and: Aaway ffnomxthef roll f1, fas shown in dottediand :full lines .in AlFig. 7. With the members '30 inclined so that their pointed outer ends are downwardly as showin in dotted lines Aiin 'Fig'. o6, the shaft 9 is lrocked downwardly by the =handle 33 so that one or both ofthe members e the flange or langesatthe'endsof there lil. if but one member 30 enga-geslaiangeaa urther downward movement of the handle Sii-.Will cause a :further downvxumd,` movement of the arms 7 't anld 8, and thus will cefusea shifting longitudinal movement; of :the Froll 1l byl the action uponit of thewmember 'wenga 'ng one of the yrolllarrges. This shizftingnongitudinal movement will continuez-until the roll is moved so gasi lto `causenthetother. 'member 30 to engage the other roll ilamge,fthe roll, Jas it were, bein moved up 'itov.said other member 30. T us=thelroll 'Aiwiill he properly andaccurately positioned uorlA :centered by the two members 30 engazgngiits flanges, the-rollfibengfin sthis wa properly and accurately :adjusted [for it e proper trackage of ithe fmusidsheet. The members 30 lwill inthe meantime have acquired a, more nearly) horizontal position; if, the `roll is? the usual length' they willv havel acquired practically l a horizontal i position as shown m solidlines inf'flli'gu'.` In=thislmodifiea tionr the shaft 9 is `preferabl @automatically swung upwardlya'nd the ro lloeked impof .attestati ia fait*aai-tmY with the first describedstructure, but as 'said automatic swinging and locking meansgare described inYi connection with'said other construction they will not be described here,

It will be seen that the pivoted'or tilting members 30 permit the successfuloperation of the device with rolls of rsomewhat different laneta.Y and 1 .will w@in properly and accurately adjustedfnotyvighw standing their difference in length.

It will be understood that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with means for supporting a musi-c roll, of means for engaging said roll for adjustment, said means comprising a pivoted finger and a supporting structure for said finger by which the finger ca be moved so as to engage and move the ro 2. The combination with means for supporting a music roll, of means for engaging said roll for longitudinal adjustment, said means comprising a, pair of pivoted fingers and a supporting structure by which said lingers may be moved toward and away from the roll so las to engage the same and cause an adjustment of the roll.

3. The combination with means for supporting a music roll, of means for engaging the roll for adjustment, said means comprising a pair of pivoted fingers wei hted so that one end will swing downward y, and a movable supporting structure on which said ngers are mounted, said structure holding said `fingers in 'tion between the fianges at the ends of t e roll `and the fingers being arranged so that their weighted ends are toward the anges, whereby said lingers may engage the anges and automatically adjust the roll.

4. Means for adjusting a music roll comprising a pair of fingers having pointed weighted ends, and a movable supporting structure on which said fingers are pivotally mounted, said supporting structure being arranged to hold and move the fingers toward and away from the roll between the flanges thereof, whereb the weighted ends of the fingers may strike first against the music sheet on the roll and then slide along said sheet and act against said anges so as to adjust the roll in one direction or the other.

5. The combination with a music roll and means for supporting the same, of a rock shaft extended lengthwise of the music roll, means carried by said rock shaft and extended laterally from the same, said means being adapted to engage the flanges of the music roll, and means for automatically rocking sai ztlggaln1.1Sieroll.flanges and YSaid gaming 'si-ranged'with'ffhelr weighted s' extending toward the anges so as to engage the same and shift the roll when said rock shaft is rocked.

7. The combination with means for supporting a music roll, of means for engaging the roll to adjust it in position, means for locking the roll in adjusted position, and means for disengaging the engaging means and actuating the locklng means.

8. The combination of means for supporting a music roll, a swinging arm for engaging said roll, and a pneumatic for actuating said swinging arm transversely to the axis of the music roll.

9. The combination of means for supporting a music roll, swinging arms for engaging the ends of said roll, a rock shaft on which said arms are mounted, a pneumatic, and a crank and link connection between said pneumatic and said rock shaft for actuating the latter by the operation of the pneumatic.

10. The combination of means for supportin a music roll, a rod extending longitudina ly of said music roll and connected with said m11 supporting means, a lever for engaging said rod, and a pneumatic for actuatin said lever.

11. he combination of means for supporting a music roll, a rock shaft provided with one or more arms for engagin one or both of the fianges at the ends of t e music roll, a pneumatic combined with means whereby said pneumatic operates said rock shaft so as to disengage said arm from the music roll, a rod extending longitudinally of the music roll, a lever for engaging said rod to lock the same, and a second pneumatic for actuating said lever.

12. The combination with a music roll and means for supporting the same, of a rock shaft extendin len hwise of the music roll and rovi ed with laterally extending arms having their free ends provided with lmeans for engaging the flanges of the music roll, and means for automatically swinging said rock shaft so as to move it toward the music roll to cause engagement of said roll flanges.

13. The combination with a music roll and means for supporting the same, of a rock shaft extending len wise of the music roll and provided with aterally extending arms 

